EDITORIAL - Diversionary attack?

In 2015 in Mamasapano, Maguindanao, the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters joined forces with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front in slaughtering 44 members of the police Special Action Force to prevent the commandos from capturing Zulkifli bin Hir, the international terrorist known as Marwan. The encounter raised questions on the real nature of the MILF’s links with the BIFF, supposedly a breakaway faction of the secessionist group.

The MILF has not clarified that ambiguity. Now the questions are again being raised after the BIFF raided Malagakit village in North Cotabato at dawn last Wednesday, holing up in a school during a firefight with government troops. The military said the raid could be an attempt to divert government forces from continuing operations to neutralize the Mautes and Abu Sayyaf terrorists in Marawi City.

A peace agreement with the MILF is currently being drawn up. The group can show the early dividends of a peace deal by assisting the government in counterterrorism efforts, without providing armed fighters. The killing of the SAF 44 also killed the peace process in the previous administration and caused deep distrust of the MILF among government forces. Reviving the process for an enduring peace deal under the current administration requires an infusion of confidence-building measures that will restore trust.

The biggest argument of skeptics against the peace process is that leaders of secessionist and other rebel groups do not exercise sufficient control over their forces on the ground. The groups see factions breaking away and continuing armed operations against the government. A worse speculation is that the breakaway factions actually have the blessings of the main group. After the latest BIFF attack in North Cotabato, the MILF has a chance to show that this is not the case.